The United Kingdom’s biggest restaurant chains and pub groups will be out in force at the Business Design Centre in London this week – looking into the latest new products and services on offer from over 200 exhibitors at Casual Dining 2017. The two-day trade show, taking place February 22-23, is on target to attract well over 4,500 attendees, according to organizer Diversified Communications.
Among frozen food producers, suppliers and trade associations exhibiting at the show are Bannisters’ Farm, BRF Foodservice, Greenyard Frozen UK, Keck Pasta, Lamb Weston, Lutosa, McCain Foodservice, MDC Foods, the Norwegian Seafood Council, Sea Products International, Whitby Seafoods Ltd, Marshall Farm Ice Cream and McCain Foodservice.
The pre-registered visitors lists is loaded with senior decision makers from Jamie’s Italian, TGI Friday’s, wagamama, JD Wetherspoon, Whitbread, Nando’s, Bill’s Restaurants, Marston’s, Revolution Bars Group, Mitchells & Butlers, PizzaExpress, Pizza Hut Restaurants, Carluccio’s, Prezzo, GBK, Enterprise Inns, Punch, ASK Italian, Zizzi, Greene King, Living Ventures, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Las Iguanas, Giraffe, K10 Restaurants, ETM Group, Côte Restaurants, Novus Leisure, Yo! Sushi, Glendola Leisure Group, Bourne Leisure, Hollywood Bowl, Rick Stein Group, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Stonegate Pub Company, Compass Group, Sodexo, WSH, Hilton, Marriot, GLH Hotels, John Lewis Hotels, and Millennium Hotels & Resorts.
As in previous years, smaller independent operators (those with between one and five sites) are also expected to be well represented. Nearly 1,500 visited in 2016.
“Casual Dining is a fantastic exhibition and an incredible opportunity to meet new suppliers and experience innovative products and ingredients,” said Sam Elliott, chef director at Jamie’s Italian. “It’s also a great way to connect with other business leaders and share ideas and challenges within the hospitality industry.”
“From our speakers and exhibitors to the visitors themselves – the who’s who of the casual dining sector will be at the show doing business. It’s going to be a very busy and productive two days,” said Chris Brazier, group event director of Casual Dining.
Free Keynote Theatre
Representatives from high-profile brands – including Mitchells & Butlers, Marston’s, Casual Dining Group, TGI Friday’s, Bill’s Restaurants, Wahaca, Côte Restaurants, Hippo Inns and Young’s – will be sharing their expertise in the show’s popular Keynote Theatre. Full timings and seminar summaries are available at www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/casual-dining-keynote-theatre. Meanwhile, a rundown of the lineup follows:
Wednesday, February 22
- Peter Backman, managing director of Horizons: Delivery – The big disrupter
- Exclusive interview with Martin Robinson, chairman of Casual Dining Group
- Kate Nicholls, ceo of ALMR: Brexit & four other bumps to prepare for
- Exclusive interview with Neil Rankin, director of Temper Restaurants
- Mark McCulloch, founder & group ceo of WE ARE Spectacular: Marketing your way out of disaster
- Andrew Andrea, chief financial and corporate development officer at Marston’s: Pub grub to food hub
- Mark Fox, ceo of Bill’s restaurants: Studying your past to better shape your future
- Jeremy Roberts, ceo of Living Ventures: Living the good life
- Jo Fleet, managing director of Wahaca: Growing without changing your culture
Thursday, February 23
- Simon Stenning, executive director of MCA: Casual Dining market overview
- Andrew Gallagher, group marketing director at Côte Restaurants: How to market like a chain but feel like an independent
- Karen Forrester, ceo of TGI Friday’s UK: Crossing the line for growth
- Rupert Clevely, ceo of Hippo Inns, and Jo Clevely, design consultant at Jo Clevely Design: Love and understand your customer
- Graeme Loudon, commercial director at CGA Strategy: Making a splash – the growing importance of drinks
- James Douglas, co-founder & director at Red’s True Barbecue: Staying true to who you are in a crowded market place
- The future of pub food panel: Featuring Chris Knights, group executive chef at Geronimo & Young’s; Paul Dickinson, head of food at Fuller, Smith & Turner;
- Tim Foster, head of being awesome at The Yummy Pub Co; and Mike Berry, head of content at Fleet Street Communications
- David Pellow, area vice president – Europe at Hard Rock International: Hard Rock Cafe – our place in the modern UK market
- Exclusive interview with Bob Ivell, non-executive chairman of Mitchells & Butlers
For further information about the show, visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/show-guide.
